A new species of oribatid mites of the genus Safrobates (Oribatida, Punctoribatidae) is described from the soil of alpine herbaceous snowbank of the Central Otago region in the South Island of New Zealand. Safrobates insignis sp. nov. differs from S. miniporus Mahunka, 1989 and S. gerdi Ermilov & Minor, 2016 in having penicillate subcapitular setae h, epimeral setae (except 1c) and aggenital setae, the presence of neotrichy on epimere I, four pairs of notogastral porose areas, six pairs of genital setae and tridactylous legs. Accessory information on Safrobates and the relevance of some morphological traits of the new species are discussed. A revised generic diagnosis is given, relationships of Safrobates, Macrogena and Magellozetes are discussed, and Magellozetes is transferred from Ceratozetidae to Punctoribatidae. An identification key to known species of Safrobates is provided.